There is currently an astonishing amount of community interest in the Township of Leeds and the Thousand Islands official plan’s ongoing five-year revision. It shows plainly that what people want is protection of the natural environment.

It is a brilliant achievement of the planning department to have collected so many useful suggestions pouring in from the public.

By sharp contrast, councils have been inclined to support "progress," often meaning inappropriate development, in order to increase property taxes and jobs at the expense of the area’s environment and with desecration to natural beauty, which, once spoiled, will never return.

Such "progress" could easily have been modified to protect the integrity of both the environment and the community’s character had council properly applied its own policies.

As well, the efficacy of the official plan and bylaws have been mauled by the committee of adjustment abusing its power by giving some ludicrously wide meanings to "minor variance" in its decisions, also avoiding the cumulative impact over time.

The meaning of "minor" is apparently whatever they decide it is to be. By contrast, another Ontario municipality (Callander) takes the position that "proposals that are essentially in keeping with the zoning bylaw but do not conform exactly may be approved."

This is how the committee of adjustment should be deciding if the general intent of the zoning bylaw is being met.

Finally, the revision process and the impressive public input may be totally wasted, for no matter how excellent the revised official plan may be, it amounts to nothing without proper support from council and from the committee of adjustment.

Council should set and apply such criteria as enables the Planning Act to guide the decision-making. Kingston’s official plan, for instance, contains a good detailed example of how this can be done.

Council and its committee should catch up with well-informed waterfront residents who now realize that it’s good for both the environment and the economy to ensure healthy, natural shorelines in this beautiful township.